This Rum Brand's Launch Event Paid Homage to Harlem Renaissance-Era Salons

Ten To One, a rum brand co-owned by Ciara, hosted a two-day event to celebrate Black History Month and the launch of its newest sipping rum.

Sarah Kloepple

February 15, 2024

The event drew inspiration from salon gatherings of the Harlem Renaissance, where the spirit of creativity could surround guests.Photo: Kai Tsehay

NEW YORK—It's not hard to spot celebrity-owned liquor brands on store shelves these days, so how do you make a new one stand out? A thoughtfully produced experiential launch event is a good start. Earlier this month, on Feb. 1 and 2, Ten To One, a rum brand founded by Marc Farrell and co-owned by Ciara, hosted a two-day event to celebrate Black History Month and the launch of its newest sipping rum, Five Origin Select.

The event, produced by To Be Hosted, was held at Freehand New York's Georgia Room. Amber Mayfield Hewett, the founder and lead producer of To Be Hosted, said she drew inspiration from salon gatherings of the Harlem Renaissance for this lively cocktail party, where the spirit of creativity surrounded guests.

"Historically, a salon is a gathering of people held by a host to please or to educate; during the Harlem Renaissance, salons gathered the most gifted thinkers and creative minds to share ideas and foster community," she explained. "In thinking about these gatherings filled to the brim with talented creatives, we wanted to bring that same energy to the Ten To One salon by showcasing the arts across disciplines. This included the mixologists, the musicians, an artist surprising guests with illustrations, and a poet creating custom poems on a typewriter."

When guests arrived at the event, they were greeted in the foyer by a musician on a grand piano and a bartender pouring neat tastings of Five Origin Select. "We called this their first sip, giving them a first impression of Ten To One's newest offering," Hewett said.

During the main event, guests enjoyed live music, light bites, and three cocktail bars. At the dark rum and white rum cocktail bars, guest bartenders mixed up a signature drink that incorporated flavors of the African diaspora. An artist floated through the crowd to draw portraits of guests and write custom poems for them.

"I loved that we had live illustrations instead of a traditional photo booth and custom poetry for take-home gifts," Hewett said. "I think these touches were really a great way to capture the spirit of creativity and send guests home with a branded keepsake."

Keep scrolling for key vendors and more details and photos from inside the Ten To One salon...

VENDORS:
Audio & Lighting: Stereo Minded Music LLC
Design: Oscar Pipson at Ten To One
Florals: Floriconvento
Illustrations: Dapo Davinci
Music Programming: The Soapbox Presents
Photography: Tremeika Small and Kai Tsehay
Printing & Fabrication: Atlas Printing Solutions
Production: To Be Hosted
Typewriter Poet: Nunyala Sogbo from Ars Poetica
Venue: Georgia Room

One of the event's biggest challenges? Finding the right balance with the lighting. "I loved the use of bold color and lighting, but getting this right was so important to the ambiance—having enough light for mixologists and artists to see, while also having the mood of an old-school, dimly lit nightclub," Hewett explained.

Photo: Tre Small

Bronx-based florist Floriconvento provided floral arrangements that adorned Ten To One bottles.

Photo: Kai Tsehay

Nunyala Sogbo of Ars Poetica—a woman-owned creative agency that provides bespoke experiences merging poetry, art, and entertainment—wrote custom poems for guests.

Photo: Kai Tsehay

"To keep events fresh, I think you have to find ways to connect with a story or a feeling," Hewett said, "and use that as your north star throughout the planning process."

Photo: Kai Tsehay

Throughout the evening, guest bartenders developed signature cocktails with ingredients like rice water, ackee, and kola nut.

Photo: Kai Tsehay

In lieu of a photo booth, Dapo Davinci floated through the crowd to draw custom portraits for guests.

Photo: Tre Small

When guests arrived at the event, they were greeted in the foyer by a musician on a grand piano and a bartender pouring neat tastings of Five Origin Select.

Photo: Tre Small

Ten To One's Caribbean Coffee cocktail evoked the look of an espresso martini. It featured Ten To One's dark rum and cacao powder. "When the assignment is to serve cocktails that reflect flavors of the diaspora, you have to bring coffee and cacao to the table," Hewett said. "It reminds us that even the 'trendier' cocktails can be really layered and interesting."

Photo: Tre Small

A favorite cocktail from both nights: The Black Unicorn Sings, made by guest bartender Andra "AJ" Johnson. It featured Ten To One dark rum, banana raisin reduction, ackee, ginger, coconut water, lime, clarified milk, and a dehydrated orange garnish.

"It was delicious, but it really drew people in for the ingredient list that was reflective of AJ's Jamaican heritage," Hewett said. "Ingredients like ackee are hard to imagine in a cocktail, and alongside flavors like banana, ginger, and coconut, you're almost not sure about it until you try it and realize it's brilliant. The name of AJ's cocktail also tied well with the theme, inspired by the poetry of Aja Monet."

Photo: Tre Small